Few things make a personmoreenergetic and excited than pitching their business idea to a potential investor. If you're on the receiving end of that pitch, it's easy to get swept up in the founder's unwavering passion and belief in their startup.

Before you make such an important investment, it's vital to consider all the facts, figures and skills involved in making this entrepreneur's dreams come true. Do they have experience in the industry? Do they have a solid planfor cash requirements and scaling? Are they willing to see their venture through to the end, no matter what that looks like?

According to eight members ofForbes Finance Council, here are the most important factors a would-be investor should consider before backing a startup.

Members share their top considerations before investing in a new business.

All photos courtesy of Forbes Councils members.

1. The Founder's Ability To Execute

Any idea, if truly innovative, can be compelling, especially when sold by a passionate founder. A venture investor will almost always focus on the team first, but the ability to execute should be the first priority. Many startups have founders who haven't launched a new venture before. That's okay, but they should have shown through other experience the ability to turn an idea into a reality. - Drew Cook,Pact Apparel

2. The Management Team's Skills And Passion

Quite simply, management is the most important factor. Although initial considerations such as risk versus reward are vital, you are not only investing in the product or service but the leadership and ability of the management team to execute the business plan. Don’t invest in anything less than an experienced, qualified and passionate management team. - Stacy Francis,Francis Financial, Inc.

3. The Character Of The Founder

The most important thing a venture capitalist can do is make an effort to understand the true character of the person or team they’re investing in. Get to know them on a personal level. Learn about their background and experience. And, do a deep dive into their references. These are all hyper-critical steps to take prior to investing in a startup. - Ben Gold,QuickBridge Funding

4. The Potential Market Of The Business

As a venture capitalist, your most important concern when considering an investment is the business’ potential market. Ask specific questions to ensure that the company has a clear idea of its market share. The founder should be able to tell you the percentage of the market that they plan to capture over a specific time period and what type of growth potential they envision. - Shane Hurley,RedFynn Technologies

5. The Startup's 10-Year Goal

Founders have differing goals and strengths. Some founders are great at working in teams of up to 10 but struggle on a team of 100. Some founders want to scale a company for10 years, while others will get bored and want to start something new. Investors should ensure agreements and terms are in place to allowfora clean founder exit that is not disruptive to the business. -Moe Adham, Bitaccess Inc.

6. Future Cash Requirements

Many great ideas run out of operating capital and end up in the graveyard. While many startups use an aggressive pro forma to show profitability, understand just how much capital or cash will be needed to keep the company going when it hits roadblocks. - Lance Scott, Bay Harbor Wealth Management

Venture capitalists love and seek to invest money. They look forsystems and plans. This doesn’t always mean experience. Having an effective system that is proven to work and makes money is valuable to startups, because they can operate and grow in a strong structure. Having a plan shows that they have goalsfortheir system to build toward. -Donovan Ruffin,DOXA

8. The Current Fundamentals Of The Business

Don't get sold by an energetic business plan. When it comes to startups, there is typically an emotional hype that shows how the business could grow over a period of time. There's just no guarantee. So, keep focused on the fundamentals -- not the hype the owner will try to sell you. - Justin Goodbread, Heritage Investors